In Pace Requiescat: Rest In Pace
by LegolasLover2003
Summary: Doc Holliday and Kate are going city to city for gambling. However, Doc runs into his old friend Wyatt Earp in one town, and the three head to Dodge City for a little excitement and danger.
1. Another Round Of Poker

Chapter 1: Another Round Of Poker

  
  


"I do believe gentlemen, that this makes fourteen hands." a small smile crept onto the gambler's face.

Despite the glares for blood he was receiving around the poker table, not a soul moved. He ran a finger over the top of his bourbon glass, pretending not to take interest in the looks he received. At his side, a dark haired woman wearing a dress of red lace, filled his glass once more. In the background a piano was player, though ever so quietly. All eyes were on the man as he reached his hand across the table, scooping the pot toward him.

"Not so fast." one of the men slurred, he was obviously drunk. "You've been cheatin' us outta our hard earned money for good over five hours." the man leaned onto the table as he stood, "I think ya's crooked."

John Holliday leaned back in his chair, "What ever do you mean, sir?" his smile widened, knowingly angering the drunken man before him. "A fair game is what I'm all about."

One of the other card players laid a hand on the angered man's shoulder, "Don't do anything stupid, Tom. He'll likely run ya through."

The drunken man swayed slightly, "What's he gonna do against us? He's just as drunk as we are, maybe more."

With all the grace and finesse of a southern gentleman, Holliday pulled back his vest, revealing the ivory handle of his colt .38. This however, did nothing to calm the angered drunk down.

"Besides," Tom continued, "He's nothin' but a sickly lunger. I'd be surprised if he knew just how to use that there gun."

His companion however, was a bit brighter. "Tom, you're talkin' nonsense. That there's Doc Holliday and he'll drill ya full of so many holes you won't know what hit ya."

Holliday just nodded, the smile never leaving his lips. He raised the bourbon glass and let the warm liquid slip down his throat.

Setting the glass down again, he sighed. "I may have passed my limit for the day gentlemen, but I have not yet begun to defile myself."

John began to stand, the woman at his side doing the same. She started picking the money up from the poker table, stuffing it into a carpet bag which had been stored under the table.

"Let's go, darlin'. It seems that our company is no longer appreciated nor wanted." Holliday drawled.

As the two companions made their way to the bar's door, Tom released his friend's grasp on his shoulder and drew his own gun. In a blur of movement, Holliday had spun around, drawing his own weapons, but heard a gunshot before he had time to aim his colt .38. He stopped, the gambler's mind waiting for the impact of a bullet he was sure would come.

  
  


Tom crashed to the ground, a gaping hole adorning his back. Doc looked to the back door of the bar, his mind becoming slightly clearer. From the threshold stood a tall man, his coat was long and he wore a dark hat. In his hands was a shotgun and, glinting off the light inside the bar, a badge could be plainly seen.

"How the hell are you?" the man asked, lowering the gun to his side.

Doc smiled, "Wyatt, I am rolling."

The lawman of Dodge City, Kansas walked further into the bar, stepping over the dead man's body.

"It's been a while, Doc."

"Indeed." the gambler replied, "Not since Dallas I believe."

Wyatt Earp looked behind him, feeling guilty for killing the man, but knowin that there had been nothing else he could have done to prevent it.

"Was there any truth in his claim?" he asked, but when the man turned back around, he made his face completely serious.

Doc's expression was a bit taken aback and he placed his left hand over his chest. "Wyatt, I am appalled. How dare you suggest such a thing to me."

"Alright Doc. Alright." the lawman laughed, "I know you're not the cheatin' type, you're just too damn lucky."

"Indeed sir. The luckiest man this side of the Mississippi." his sardonic sense of humor could always win through, even when he was mad drunk.

"Hey Doc." the woman said from his side, "We should be leaving town, no one will take to kindly to this."

"I do believe you're right darlin'." but Holliday looked to his friend once more, "We are headin' for Dodge City, if that's fine by the law."

Wyatt shrugged, "I was just on my way home as well. I'll ride with you, if ya give me enough time to inform the local sheriff as to what happened to ol' Tom here."

Doc nodded and, as Wyatt passed, the lawman inclined his head toward the woman.

"Kate."

The woman in return smiled, stepping out of his way.

When Wyatt has left, Holliday looked at the dead man on the floor. Lighting a cigarette, he took a drag of it the shook his head.

"Poor soul." and with that, he left the bar.


	2. Arrival in Dodge City

Chapter 2: Arrival in Dodge City

  
  


Doc Holliday coughed violently, his body shaking with the strain. He reached into his vest, pulling out a white cloth and putting it to his lips.

"Maybe we should rest awhile. What do you say, Doc?"

The younger man shook his head, taking the now blood stained cloth from his mouth. "Nonsense Wyatt. I'm right as rain."

Though Earp knew his friend was feeling terrible, he was not about to tarnish the gambling man's pride. He took notice of how pale Doc looked and of the sweat that constantly beaded his forehead. Kate however, seemed not to notice and rode her own horse on Holliday's other side. From Wyatt's knowledge of their relationship, he assumed that Kate had long ago decided not to take too much notice of Doc's coughing fits, which were frequent, unless they got too bad.

As the day wore on, the trio arrived in Dodge City. It was nearing dusk and, as they rode into town, Wyatt was greeted by numerous local people. The same citizens however, cast suspicious glances in the direction of Doc and Kate. Holliday wore a black cape over his shoulders to match his hat. His pants were of a greyish color and his white shirt did nothing to help his pasty complection. The two colt .35's were hardly visible beneath the cloak.

Wyatt began to head toward the jail house, but Doc, knowing that would be unwise for himself, spoke up.

"It appears that this is where we must part for a time, Wyatt." the gambler said, steering his horse in the direction of the hotel. "I am to retire for the evenin' so that I may better make my appearance at the poker table tomorrow." he smiled.

Wyatt shook his head, "Gamblin' as a trade. You'll never change Doc."

"I beg to differ. Poker is a trade, not gamblin'."

With that, Holliday and Kate rode on toward the nearest hotel.

  
  


The growing evening put Doc in a gambling mood. He was always a late riser in the afternoon and frequented the gambling halls until the wee hours of the morning. A common practice on his part. Recently however, numerous physicians had begun to warn Holliday of his night life. They wished, in his best interest, for him to shy away from his money making impulses. But the faro table as well as the poker table were his homes. Not only that, they were his livelihood and not even consumption would tear him from the game.

Kate sat quietly at his side, enjoying a rolled cigarette. They had acquired one of the most costly rooms in Dodge City and it was a palace compared to the lodgings in Fort Griffin. A large bed occupied much of the room, big enough to sleep three or four people. There was a large armoire in the corner across from a low dressing table and mirror. Night stands took up space on each side of the bed and the entire room was decked out in shades of red and gold. Doc was proud of himself, having acquired around $10,000 at Fort Griffin, he was now celebrating the sudden gain of money.

"Hey Doc." Kate began, leaning over the bed on her stomach. 

The gambler had decided to retire for the evening a few moments before. His hat lay hooked on one of the headboard posts which he had jsut hung it on. Now he turned his head to reguard Kate.

"Yes darlin'?"

The woman smiled, "Are you not going to play poker tonight?"

He shook his head ever so slightly, "Not tonight."

Kate frowned, "Then I suppose I'll have to find myself something to do."

This immediately sent a warning flare up in the gambler's mind. He hated the idea of Kate flirtatiously tempting fellow gamblers within the saloons and inviting them to her bed, for a small fee of course. Over and over again, Holliday had promised her that he could provide anything and everything she might ever need. But it was slowly becoming apparent to Doc, that Kate enjoyed her business. This however, angered him more than he cared to admit.

Doc sighed, sitting up and leaning against the head board. "We must talk, darlin'." he started.

Seeing that he was serious, Kate watched his face intently from her position upon the bed.

"It appears that I may have the opportunity to restore my business to it's former glory." noticing that the woman was regarding him with the upmost attention, he decided to get to the point. "What I am tryin' to say is that I have been plainin' on going back into the dentistry business."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Fanfiction.net Reviews:

Norah: Thanks and I try to write a new chapter every so often. I hope I did not keep you waiting.

kenderbender22: Yeah, I dislike Kate too. When I read everything I could get my hands on about Doc Holliday, I came to the conclusion that Kate really pissed him off a lot. But thank you for saying I write Doc well. After all, he is the star of the show and if I did a bad job writing his lines and actions, then I could not call myself a fanfic writer.

  
  


Fictionpress.net Reviews

Linda: See, I have continued so there is no need for you to die! Yay! I didn't cause someone's death! Yippie!

Lucy: I love writing historical fiction. I mean, it started with this thought about Joe Byrne getting shot and I was like, 'Hey! I want to write a short story about that!' So I did. Then, about a month or so later, I got really into "Tombstone" and thought, 'Hey! If I could write a good story about Joe dying, maybe I can do the same with Doc Holliday and write a chapter story about him!' So, that's kinda what I did. But anyway, I think writing historical fiction is more fun because you get to expand on the personality and character of an existing, or having existed, person. It is so much better than pulling characters out of the air. It is kind of like writing a fanficiton, but it's your own in a way.

Faery Tragedy: I promise to try and describe things more. But, I've found I'm just a dialog sort of girl I suppose. But thank you for the insight, I'll definitely take it to heart. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
